Dead Space fans have reacted in dismay at the cost of cosplaying as series star Isaac Clarke in EA’s new free-to-play Skate, which is currently available in early access.
Skate’s new Isaac Clarke bundle, which includes a homemade-style cardboard Isaac Clarke costume for your skater, a themed skateboard, the Necro Stomp emote and a bunch of stickers, is priced at 3,350 San Van Bucks — Skate’s in-game currency.
A pack of 2,800 San Van Bucks costs $25, while a 500 San Van Bucks pack costs $5. Inconveniently, buying these will leave you needing another 50 Van Bucks — so you’ll need another 500 pack ($5), making for a minimum total spend of $35. (There is at least a USG Ishimura T-shirt for free.)
While Skate is a free-to-play game funded by microtransactions, Dead Space fans have reacted to the bundle’s pricing in disbelief, with many comparing its cost to the price of the franchise’s full games.
Currently, the original Dead Space trilogy is available via Steam for $20 each, though individual games have been offered for as little as $4 each during sales. The celebrated 2023 Dead Space remake is currently $60 — although has been offered for as little as $12 during sales.
And then there’s the fact that, for the forseeable future at least, EA has put the Dead Space franchise on ice. Ideas for an all-new Dead Space 4 and any plans to follow the Dead Space Remake with a new version of Dead Space 2 are seemingly not in the works, with developer Motive put to work on the Battlefield franchise instead. Isaac Clarke, meanwhile, has been left to simply cameo in other games, such as Fortnite and Battlefield 2042.
Isaac Clarke is now in Skate
The full bundle costs $40 USD… pic.twitter.com/AaMj6EEBro
— Radec (@realradec) October 7, 2025
In one post on reddit titled “The state of Dead Space,” IllustriousReveal962 wrote: “Let’s hope that one day Dead Space will reach state as an IP that it isn’t solely relegated to just being a skin in a mediocre always online game to boost mtx.”
“You can buy 3 Dead Sapce games with that money (and probably 3 Skate games),” wrote another fan, Diogo Rodriguez, in a post on X. “Dead Space 2 remake got cancelled and now we get this,” wrote cayo0663.
On the left is Isaac Clarke from Dead Space in Skate 3. Model looks incredible & could only be obtained through a cheat code.
On the right is an Issac Clarke outfit in a bundle (pic included of bundle) on Skate 4. It costs roughly $30-$40 and looks horrible.
Idek what to say… pic.twitter.com/G4dd9Y76jr
— SirBlackout (@BlackoutTV_) October 7, 2025
EA’s Dead Space and Skate franchises have something of a history, with a snazzy Isaac Clarke skin and cool sci-fi skateboard unlockable in Skate 3 for free via cheat code. The franchise’s celebrated 2023 Dead Space remake meanwhile featured an in-game Easter egg for a fictional “Skate 3000.” Many fans have said it should have been a positive this crossover is continuing — but not priced like this.
Image credit: @Realradec.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
